Depressive symptoms and close relationships during the transition to adulthood: Perspectives from dysphoric women, their best friends, and their romantic partners.

Late adolescent women's depressive symptoms and interpersonal functioning were assessed using reports from participants, their best friends, and their romantic partners. As predicted, the associations between relationship dysfunction and dysphoria were stronger in romantic relationships than in friendships. Unlike friends, romantic partners perceived dysphoric women as having poorer social skills. Romantic partners also reported providing less emotional support to dysphoric women, whereas friends reported providing more. Finally, romantic partners of dysphoric women had more Cluster A (odd-eccentric) personality disorder symptoms; these symptoms mediated the relation between women's depression and partners' nonsupportiveness. The findings suggest that dysphoric women may find themselves in emotionally nonsupportive romantic relationships because they have paired (through assortative pairing or mutual influence) with symptomatic partners. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Chronic stress burden, discrimination, and subclinical carotid artery disease in African American and Caucasian women.

This study examined the association between a composite index of stress that included measures of life events, ongoing stress, discrimination, and economic hardship and subclinical carotid disease among 109 African American and 225 Caucasian premenopausal women. African Americans reported more chronic stress and had higher carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) as compared with Caucasians. Among African Americans only, the composite stress index and unfair treatment were associated with higher IMT. These effects were partially mediated by biological risk factors. African Americans who reported experiencing racial discrimination had marginally more carotid plaque than did those who did not report experiencing racial discrimination. The results suggest that African Americans may be particularly vulnerable to the burden of chronic stress. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Unresolved attachment, PTSD, and dissociation in women with childhood abuse histories.

The primary objective of this study was to examine unresolved trauma as assessed by the Adult Attachment Interview and current psychiatric symptoms, focusing on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and dissociation, in a group of adult female childhood abuse survivors. The authors examined psychiatric symptoms and attachment representations in a group with (n = 30) and without (n = 30) abuse-related PTSD. The findings revealed that unresolved trauma carried a 7.5-fold increase in the likelihood of being diagnosed with PTSD and was most strongly associated with PTSD avoidant symptoms rather than dissociative symptoms. The utility of a PTSD framework for understanding unresolved trauma and the role of intentional avoidance of trauma cues in the maintenance of traumatized states of mind are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The yellow brick road and the emerald city: Benefit finding, positive reappraisal coping and posttraumatic growth in women with early-stage breast cancer.

Predictors and outcomes of benefit finding, positive reappraisal coping, and posttraumatic growth were examined using interviews and questionnaires from a longitudinal study of women with early-stage breast cancer followed from primary medical treatment completion to 3 (n=92) and 12 months (n=60) later. Most women (83%) reported at least 1 benefit of their breast cancer experience. Benefit finding (i.e., identification of benefits, number of benefits), positive reappraisal coping, and posttraumatic growth had distinct significant predictors. Positive reappraisal coping at study entry predicted positive mood and perceived health at 3 and 12 months and posttraumatic growth at 12 months, whereas benefit finding did not predict any outcome. Findings suggest that benefit finding, positive reappraisal coping, and posttraumatic growth are related, but distinct, constructs. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Treatment of depression in low-income older adults.

The purpose of this study was to compare cognitive-behavioral group therapy (CBGT), clinical case management (CCM), and their combination (CBGT + CCM) to treat depression in low-income older adults (60+). Sixty-seven participants with major depressive disorder or dysthymia were randomly assigned and entered into 1 of the 3 treatment conditions for 6 months. They were followed for 18 months after treatment initiation on depression and functional outcomes. CCM and CBGT + CCM led to greater improvements in depressive symptoms than CBGT, but CBGT led to greater improvements in physical functioning. All 3 conditions resulted in similar reduction of needs. Findings suggest that disadvantaged older adults with depression benefit from increased access to social services either alone or combined with psychotherapy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

“职场-哺乳”框架下的吸奶器设计理论——基于“行动者-网络”视角

哺乳期职业女性对吸奶器的需求随着所处场景的不同而有所变化，借助“行动者-网络”理论进行分析可以发现，对吸奶器功能与形式形成制约的因素众多，既包括生理层面的也包括社会层面的。在哺乳优先策略下，以泌乳量大、经济实用、使用便利为核心价值，强调吸奶器的基础功能和情感化设计，注重吸奶器设计的舒适性、情感性；在职场优先策略下，以解放双手、隐秘性高、外观漂亮为核心价值，更强调吸奶器设计的自由性和时尚性，注重吸奶器设计的高效率、高附加值。通过优化吸奶器设计，可以一定程度上缓解职场哺乳焦虑，辅助提升职业女性的生育意愿。